TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Closing arguments began today in the trial of David Watson, a former Tucson Firefighter charged with three murders.
Linda Watson
disappeared 16 years ago during a bitter custody fight over her daughter. Her body wasn't identified until 2013.
Someone shot and killed Linda Watson's mother and a family friend in 2003 as she fought for visitation rights with the child.
David Watson was arrested and charged after a later ex-wife recanted her statements that David Watson was with her when Linda Watson disappeared and her mother was murdered.
After seven weeks of testimony from more than 60 people and more than 500 pieces of evidence, jurors listened to closing argument on Thursday afternoon.
The day began with the judge asking jurors to look the facts over and decide if David Watson was guilty.
Closing arguments today in the David Watson trial-- a former Tucson firefighter accused of three murders @kgun9 pic.twitter.com/WF5hUKhufm
— Priscilla KGUN9 (@PriscillaCasper) November 17, 2016
Prosecutor Jonathan Mosher says David Watson was so determined to keep custody of his daughter, Jordynn, he killed his ex-wife to keep her away from a custody hearing.
"Linda Watson was murdered, there is no question about that. This case was an ambush, assassination and its first-degree murder of Marylin and Renee, no question."
"This is Jordynn Watson, the defendant would do anything to keep her including kill and now it is time to hold him accountable for killing Renee Farnsworth, Marilyn Cox , and Linda Watson."
Defense attorney Natasha Wrae explained to jurors that Linda Watson had a lot of things going on in her life during the time she went missing.
She was fired from her job, had a drinking problem, and was having problems with her ex-boyfriend, Carl, making Carl seem like the suspect.
"Linda Watson may have been murdered, but it wasn't at the hand of this man. Renee and Marilyn, they were murdered but it wasn't a result of Dave. Other people are responsible to what happened to these three women. You have heard testimony for seven weeks now. At no point have you heard an admission out of Dave's mouth through 16 years of these cases progressing, at no point have you heard any evidence linking him to these particular instances."
Both sides each had two hours to convince the jury and now it is in their hands to determine if David Watson is guilty for the murder of three women more than a decade ago.
ADDITIONAL WATSON TRIAL COVERAGE:
